Waiting for Spring to Put the Smack-Down on a Co-Worker

One of the guys that I work with overheard me and anther co-worker talking about tennis.

"You play?" he asks me. I say yes. Then he says we should play when the weather gets warm.

Now he stops me in the hall 2-3 times a week to talk about how good his game is. This morning, he said he had an unstoppable serve.

Then he asks me if I am left or right handed. I said - play me an you'll find out.

Now I am not against having a bit of fun an trash talking, but that's not my approach. I tend to let the results (or sometimes lack of results) do the talking.

But now that this guy has hyped this game up soo much, I can't wait till spring to see if he has actual game. Sounds like he's been talking about it to half the office. I'm not talking smack to anyone else (except maybe tennis talk), so I hope he lives up to the hype.

Anyone ever play a grudge match against a co-worker? How did it end up?

Yes this happened to me a few years back. The guy was younger and fitter than me and thought I'd be an easy mark. He also talked about how good he was against his buddies. To me it sounded like he had no real competetive experience so I even took some bets on it. I got other co-workers to give me two to one odds that he wouldn't win more than one game in each set. It seemed like a good bet to them . I won 6-0,6-0 and collected. Truth is though it wasn't fun trying to keep someone from winning any games because you tend to play conservatively.

*Throws down the gauntlet* Sir Goober, I challange thee to a best of five sets this sunday March the 11th, in the year of our lord, 2007, at a club of your choosing, within 15 minutes of my castle *cough* house.

*Throws down the gauntlet* Sir Goober, I challange thee to a best of five sets this sunday March the 11th, in the year of our lord, 2007, at a club of your choosing, within 15 minutes of my castle *cough* house.

J

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Challenge accepted. We'll play for the hand of a fair maiden or if that is not available- a Long Island sk4nk.

Smack talk has its place, especially in tennis. But I wouldn't talk smack unless I'd already seen you play.

My experience was coming back to tennis after years (many) away. Joining a league, getting whipped right out of the gate by guys that were better tennis players at the time but not better than what I knew I could get to be and not better athletes.

One of the guys that whomped me BAD also gave me great 'tips' about my game afterward. Another guy told me I had a "fatal flaw" the first time I played him. Since I was the new guy, playing club league against 'regulars', I knew we'd meet again that season (based on the sched) and beyond.

And I knew my game would move past theirs with time and work.

So a little smack talk, let them know 'I'm comin' for you, just back to tennis'...now neither of these guys has beaten me in the last 4-5 matches and frankly I think the smack talk got in their heads because they put TONS of pressure on themselves when we play and I feel relaxed, no matter the score.

The process goes on...I have some new opponents that I have yet to beat, one of which is a tightly wound guy, zero personality as fun as a hemorrhoid. I've played him twice, lost both...and have been repeating the process of building up the pressure on him, playfully, but with full awareness that his on-court screams and yelps in the two sets we played close (he won 6-4 both times) were a hint of what's going to happen when the tables turn.

So sure, you've got to make it happen ON the court...but if you are experienced as an athlete you know your limitations...and understand the process. Why not have some fun and use the mental vise to solve that latest opponent 'problem'...more so when you're up against someone you don't enjoy playing on any other level except...working to beat their ass and move past them.

Talkin smack is a time honored tradition when you play against friends, but it really leaves a bad taste in my mouth when you do it to someone whom you haven't played yet, or don't know well enough personally.

If I am playing with my friend, and he nets a drop shot, I feel I am fully within my rights to say "Nice shot muscles!". But I would never do that to a person I just met, or have never played. Basically, if you are comfortable enough to call someone a stupid mother f'er to their face off the court, then you are free to talk smack on the court. If not, then shut up and play.

Also there is a time and a place, If you are at round robin nite at your club, or are practicing after work, it is more social, but even my best friends wouldn't say a word if we drew each other in a tournament.